Windshield wipers are a standard feature on almost all vehicles. Windshield wipers maintain driver visibility by removing rain, ice, snow, bugs, and other debris from the windshield which can obstruct a driver's field of vision. In order to facilitate the removal of such debris, known vehicles usually provide for a wiper fluid sprayer. The fluid facilitates the dislodging of debris and ice by the windshield wiper.
However, presently provided and readily available windshield wiper systems (including the sprayer) have various drawbacks. Specifically, known windshield wipers are frequently inadequate at removal of debris and ice, leading to obscured driver vision. As a result, many gasoline/diesel service facilities provide for windshield cleaning stations. This requires drivers to access service facilities for a quick, frequently unnecessary and additional, stop to scrub their windshield to remove the hard-stuck debris. In addition, the driver may decide to pay for a car wash, which can grow particularly expensive over time.
The debris may be particularly adhered after extended driving with the debris on the windshield. While known commercially-available wiper assemblies may be efficient at removal of some rain and some light debris, these assemblies are significantly less efficient at removal of larger or more stubborn debris and ice. This problem is often substantially more acute for large trucks, since tractors, buses and recreational vehicles, which all frequently have more vertical windshields which more directly impact bugs and other airborne debris, and the height of their windshields makes manual washing and scraping more difficult for the vehicle operator.
Other mechanisms have been proposed to help with these problems, for example, providing for different blade textures, multiple automated blade assemblies, and other systems. However, known systems are complex, cumbersome, expensive to produce, and not widely available or acceptable to auto manufacturers. Known systems may, in various embodiments, require replacement of the entire blade assembly system. These systems may put burdens on manufacturers and consumers. Manufacturers may be required to implement additional complexity in their existing production line to manufacture these systems. For example, some known systems require motors, electronics, and mechanical components as part of the blade assembly, adding additional complexity and cost in an attempt to overcome the deficiencies of known wiper blade systems noted above. Replacement of these assemblies presents complexity and cost issues to consumers as well.
What is needed is a solution to the long-felt problems presented by known wiper blades that is quick and easy to install, cost-effective, works efficiently, and is manufacturing-friendly.